Felonies keep too many Rockfordians from jobs

Wednesday

Jan 29, 2014 at 8:29 AM

Tretara Flowers of Rockford was convicted of a home invasion in her teens, served time in prison and has been pursuing online educational degrees. But she has found her felony record a roadblock to getting a job. She told me her story after a Transform Rockford meeting Jan. 13.

On Jan. 24 at a Transform Rockford meeting of faith leaders, the Rev. Karen King stood at the microphone and asked attendees to spread the word about a 9 a.m. Feb. 15 meeting at Macedonia Baptist Church, 1720 Morgan St. It's a Deferred Prosecution Seminar presented by Winnebago County State's Attorney Joe Bruscato and Rockford Ministers Fellowship. "So people have less opportunities to have felonies," she said.

After King spoke, Mike Schablaske, executive director of Transform Rockford, said: "It's a concern raised on a daily basis."

Here's a story colleague Kevin Haas wrote about deferred prosecution last year, and he said he'll write an update before the Macedonia meeting.

Yesterday, when I was talking with state Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, for a story on local drug overdoses, he said he is considering proposing legislation that could turn a person's felony record into a misdemeanor, assuming in part that they didn't hurt anyone and have received their GED in jail and are continuing to pursue educational advancement.

"We have to do a better job of getting people back into society," he said.

Amen to that.

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